Upcoming Exhibitions

Coming Soon

The Civil War Pinhole ProjectPhotographs by Michael Falco

This exhibition presents a selection of prints made by photographer Michael Falco. Falco’s commitment to American stories and passion for Civil War history led him on a four year battlefield-to-battlefield journey along the anniversary tracks of the American Civil War- 150 years later. The project, which began in 2011, has been recognized by the Library of Congress and has been accepted into the National Archive. Learn more about the Civil War Pinhole Project and photographer Michael Falco.

Location: Staten Island Museum, St. George, 75 Stuyvesant Place

This exhibition has been made possible, in part, through support from NYC Departement of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, Victory State Bank, and Con Edison.

Staten Island SEEN

Fall 2015

Staten Island SEEN traces the borough's unique history and landscape through representations made by amateur and professional artists, working in a variety of styles and materials. In the past, artists were attracted to Staten Island for its varied landscape: from shores to inland hills, ponds, valleys, waterways, and forests. Much of this remains, but contemporary artists also want to paint the way we live today, including the parking lots, strip malls, tract houses, and other features of our suburban landscape.

In this most rural, yet rapidly developing New York City borough, you can hike for miles within dense woods, explore wetlands, and climb steep terrain, yet be only a bus and ferry ride away from Manhattan's skyscrapers. Unfortunately, some of the Island's fast-paces development has occured in floodplain communities - many established as summer vacation retreats decades ago - that were severly damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Development has made Staten Island more urban, but it has also made it more diverse. Staten Island continues a balancing act between the urban and rural aspects of its character.

Opening the Treasure Box: Bringing the World Home

Fall 2015

After D. Wallace MacDonald donated his parents' collection of antiquities to the Museum in 1912, we began collecting more works of art, including ancient Egyptian and Greek objects. Since then, the collection has been enriched by art of differnet eras from all over the world.

The Treasure Box Gallery displays works from five continetns: Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America. Countries represented include China, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, and the United States. The oldest piece is an Egyptian funerary statuette of a striding man, dating from the second millennium BCE. Look for an ancient Roman portrait, a sculpture of the Hindu god Ganesh, a dragon robe from China, a Bwoom mask from the Congo, and beaded moccasins made by Lakota Sioux women.

Because these objects are from far-flung places and are gather here, you can see that people everywhere share similar concerns regarding religion, conflict, and burial practices, among other issues. While there is a lot to consider, the most important thing is to delight your eyes and your mind.

Remember the Mastodon: Diversity and PreservationA Richmond County Savings Foundation Exhibit with additional funding from the Institute for Museum & Library Services

Fall 2015

In the entrance hall of historic Building A our life-size mastodon replica, fossils, preserved specimens, and the story of the Museum’s 135 years will:
• Introduce the Museum and its past
• Showcase the depth and breadth of our natural science collections and research
• Display creatures and lost life forms from ancient mega fauna to passenger pigeons
• Cause visitors to recognize the importance of an intact environment and what can be done to preserve and protect it
• Understand the causes of environmental changes that take place from one time period to the next

The late 19th-century was the golden age of natural-history collecting. Scientific societies sprang up around the country, often focused on local flora and fauna. When the Museum was founded in 1881, members of the Natural Science Association of Staten Island (now the Staten Island Museum), were concerned wild areas were vanishing. They began documenting a record of its biodiveristy.

Arthur Hollick and Nathaniel Lord Britton concentrated on collecting botay and geology specimens, while Charles Leng concentrated on beetles. William T. Davis collected everything. He eventually specialized in insects and became a world-renowned expert on cicadas.

Association members also proposed a park system for Staten Island in 1895, aiming to preserve ecologically significant tracts of land. Citizen scientists-by counting birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and other organisms - are building on this legacy.

Take a peek at our press conference announcing Richmond County Savings Foundations support on NY1 here.

From Farm to CityA Richmond County Savings Foundation Exhibit with additional funding from the Institute for Museum & Library Services

Fall 2015

The Staten Island Museum will present From Farm to City, a Richmond County Savings Foundation the local legacy exhibit inspired by the Museum of the City of New York’s current exhibition, From Farm to City: Staten Island 1661-2012, which was a co-presentation of the Museum of the City of New York, Staten Island Historical Society at Historic Richmond Town, and the Staten Island Museum.

From Farm to City offers glimpses into Staten Island history, the people who have lived here, and themes that resonate as as collective truths.

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Download our Ferry Rider's Guide for your trip. It is an an illuminating publication revolving around the Staten Island Ferry and a history that spans over four centuries. Available for download as a PDF.